Yes, really! It’s found in Cawker City, Kansas. First of all, city is a major misnomer but largest ball of twine isn’t. This ball is about 10 feet tall and weighs 19,906lbs which includes what we added today. It was started in 1953 by a farmer who had odds and ends of twine left over from baling and started twisting it into a ball. During the Kansas centennial in 1961 the then 5000 lb ball was loaded onto a tractor and paraded through town and then donated to the populace who have made a habit of adding twine annually at a festival and encouraging stupid tourists who drive three hours out of their way to see it to wind twine on it, too. So why did we go here? Bill did it as a surprise for Eileen who thought it was a dumb idea. But we pulled over in a “no truck parking”zone and ran across the street to see it. Even the cats eyed this potential toy with interest. Al’s Bar and Grill wasn’t open for lunch because his 100 year old auntie had just died so we hopped on the buses and headed for Russell, Kansas.
Day: May 23, 2014
22 TONS OF FUN (OR TERROR)
After three nights in Branson, Missouri, we hit the road again on our way to Golden, Colorado. This will involve two boogie nights in Lawrence and Russell, Kansas. But , I did want to talk some about Mossouri. First, it is NOTHING like I imagined. It is very hilly and the hills and valleys are covered with trees, mostly hardwoods. There are rivers and lakes and incredible rock outcroppings which tell of ancient seas ebbing and flowing, laying down hundreds of feet of silt, fossils, and other things which were then eroded into the hills we spent two terrifying days traversing. When you are pushing 22 tons up a hill, okay. When 22 tons is pushing you downhill, hold on! The picture above does not do Missouri justice. All the roads are hewn out of this rock and in some places it resembles the desert southwest rock formations. I wasn’t quick enough to get a really good picture. Anyway, this was this morning as we left Branson. The hill is about an 800 foot climb after going down a similar hill. Wow!!
Mark and Kathie's Excellent Adventure 